FANNING SPRINGS, FL—The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), Arc of Levy County, the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA), and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are hosting a Disability Expo for Dixie, Levy and Gilchrist counties, on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fanning Springs State Park.

This tri-county fun-filled family event will have opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy exercise, dental screenings, family respite, and boat rides. FDOA has organized a SportsAbility Sampler that includes many inclusive recreational activities such as bocce ball and sit volleyball. Attendees can also enjoy participating in prize raffles, performances by Tacachale dancers, and sitting down to a sack lunch from the concession stand.

The goal is to create an environment where people with disabilities can participate in new recreational activities at a beautiful state park. Families will also be able to gather information about providers and acquire materials regarding living with special needs from the participating vendors.

The Fanning Springs Disability Expo will be held on May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fanning Springs State Park. We are so excited to offer you and your family a fun filled day of inclusive activities, information, and education! Below is a list of registered vendors participating in the event:

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Florida Disabled Outdoors Association

Special Olympics

FAAST

The National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Department of Health

The Arc of Levy County

Social Security Administration

Florida Developmental Disability Council

Project Enable

Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Couny Health Departments

North Florida Eye-Center

Vocational Rehabilitation

Children’s Medical Services North Central Region

Family Care Council

George’s Angels

We also encourage you to use social media while you are at the Expo so we can share your day and adventures. APD is on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. If you plan on posting pictures or comments on your page during the event please use #FanningSprings or #DisabilityExpo – or use both!! If you would like to tweet directly to our page our Twitter handle is @FloridaAPD. We are so looking forward to your attendance and participation — See you there!

The Arc of Levy County, Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA), and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are partnering up to host the Fanning Springs Disability Expo in the Dixie, Levy, Gilchrist tri-county area. The event will be held on May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fanning Springs State Park. Other event partners include the three county commissions, local businesses, several nonprofit partners, local providers, and other state agencies.

The Expo’s goal is to provide a fun filled day for individuals with disabilities and their family members. FDOA has organized a SportsAbility Sampler, which includes many inclusive recreational activities such as bocce ball and sit volleyball. Attendees can also enjoy participating in prize raffles, watching dance performances by Tacachale, and sitting down to a sack lunch from the concession stand.

In addition to the recreational experiences, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to presentations, and learn about the various services that APD and other agencies can provide. Special Olympics will also be providing the Special Smiles health screening for APD waiting list customers. For questions or more information, please contact Resource.Directory@apdcares.org.

ORLANDO — On April 29, the Orange County Public Schools and the Greater Orange County Transition Interagency Council are hosting a free informational forum to update teachers, parents, and students with disabilities on issues related to transitioning into adulthood. Issues covering all types of disabilities will be addressed. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is a member of the Greater Orange County Transition Interagency Council.
The forum will be held at Freedom High School located at: 2500 Taft-Vineland Road, Orlando, 32837. Set up will begin at 4:30 and the forum will open its doors to parents, students, and teachers at 5:30 p.m. and last until 8 p.m.

Participants can gather information from agencies, groups, and businesses during the forum. There will also be an opportunity for parents, students, and teachers to attend breakout sessions on topics, such as the school’s role in transition, preparing for employment after high school, enrolling in vocational education, what to expect in college, what services are provided by Vocational Rehabilitation and APD, and getting answers to your Social Security questions.

There will be representatives from over 25 agencies available to discuss issues of concern. Additional information may be found on the Interagency website at: http://www.gointeragency.com.

If you are a business or community partner who would like to sign up to participate in this event, please contact: Jennifer Monje at 407-245-0440, ext. 647 or email her at jennifer_monje@apd.state.fl.us.

APD annually serves more than 50,000 Floridians with the developmental disabilities of autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, spina bifida, and Prader-Willi syndrome. To learn more about the agency, call 1-866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273) or visit APDcares.org.